Tips for restoring dining table with grooves/dowels
Hi all. We have a really nice dining table that came with our apartment that could use a fresh stain/poly. Google Lens of the stamp on the bottom of the table suggests it's a solid maple Temple Stuart Rockingham dining table. I've never done a refinishing project before, but the process of stripping/sanding/finishing/sealing seems pretty straightforward for a flat table.
I am concerned about two factors on this particular table top: 1.) the crumb-accumulating grooves in the top, and 2.) what appear to be dowels on the corners. How should I approach the refinish with these in mind? Would you recommend cleaning the grooves, filling them with wood filler, and sanding it flush? Do I need to worry about the dowels at all? Any tips would be appreciated!
Thanks for the help!